Analysis of equity in the distribution of human resources and hospital beds and its association with the COVID-19 mortality rate: a case of Iran.

Background And Objective: Equitable distribution of health resources is important to achieving equity, guaranteeing access to healthcare services, and improving societies' health status. This study aimed to examine equity in the distribution of health resources and its association with the mortality caused by COVID-19 in South Khorasan province, east Iran.

Method: This was a secondary analysis of data from a cross-sectional study conducted in South Khorasan province in 2022.

Predictors of Drug Retention and Survival Rate of bDMARDs in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Four-Year Real-Life Tunisian Experience.

Introduction: This study aims to investigate the efficacy and tolerance of biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (bDMARDs) in the current management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by identifying the retention time and survival rate of bDMARDs.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study including Tunisian patients initiating bDMARD treatment between 2016 and 2018 whose data were collected from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). The NHIF is the national office which organises and centralises patients under bDMARDs from all over the country.

Study on interfacial tension, wettability and viscosity in different salinities of synthesized a new polymeric surfactant for improving oil recovery.

Over 50% of the original oil in place (OOIP) is immobile or trapped in the reservoir. Therefore, today, more efficient methods have been introduced in the tertiary oil recovery sector as a scheme of enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Due to the decline of conventional hydrocarbon reserves, polymers are increasingly used in EOR methods, such as surfactant-polymer (SP) and alkaline-surfactant-polymer (ASP) flooding.

Experimental study of the effect of oil polarity on smart waterflooding in carbonate reservoirs.

This study investigates the influence of oil polarity on interfacial tension (IFT), contact angle, oil recovery, and effluent pH in smart water and Low-salinity water injection. The results indicate that the interaction between the hydration shell of ions and the polar components (PCs) of oil is crucial. Increasing oil polarity enhances the potential for interaction with the hydration shell of ions, leading to reduced IFT, altered wettability, and improved oil recovery; which could be boosted by the contribution of a higher number of anions in the smart water bulk through the enhancement of their interaction with the PCs (especially acidic components) of oil.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios in bacterial infections: contributions to diagnostic strategies in a tertiary care hospital in Tunisia.

Background: Bacterial infections continue to pose a global health challenge, driven by antibiotic resistance and septicemia. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic utility of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in bacterial infections versus non-infectious causes of inflammation.

Methods: A prospective study included 164 adult patients who were divided into two groups: a group of patients with confirmed bacterial infections and a second group of patients with other diagnoses (inflammatory pathologies, neoplasms, venous thromboembolic diseases, etc.

Contractile asymmetry and survival in patients with left bundle branch abnormality treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Aims: Currently, electrical rather than mechanical parameters of delayed left ventricular (LV) activation are used for patient selection for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). However, despite adhering to current guideline-based criteria, about one-third of heart failure (HF) patients fail to derive benefit from CRT. This study sought to investigate the prognostic survival significance of a recently introduced index of contractile asymmetry (ICA) based on the deformation of entire opposing LV walls in the context of selecting patients with HF and left bundle branch abnormality (LBBB) for CRT.

High Prevalence of Atrial Fibrillation Found in the Capital of Greenland When Using Continuous Electrocardiogram Monitoring: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) increases the risk of conditions such as ischemic stroke, dementia, and heart failure, and early detection is crucial. In Greenland, ischemic strokes are common, and the prevalences of AF risk factors are increasing. Studies based on 30-second electrocardiograms (ECGs) and diagnosis codes so far have indicated either a low prevalence of AF or a prevalence comparable to that in other Western countries, such as Denmark.

Plant Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Lower Risk of Atrial Fibrillation in Individuals with a Low Intake of Marine Omega-3 Fatty Acids.

Background: Omega-3 fatty acids derived from seafood acids may influence cardiac arrhythmogenesis, whereas the role of the major plant-derived omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), on atrial fibrillation (AF) is largely unknown.

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the association between ALA intake and risk of incident AF overall and in subjects with a low intake of marine omega-3 fatty acids.

Methods: We followed a total of 54,260 middle-aged men and women enrolled into the Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health cohort for development of AF using nationwide registries.

Comparison of maternal and fetal outcomes in mothers with non-congenital mitral valve stenosis and healthy control.

Background: Physiological changes during pregnancy cause complications in mothers with mitral stenosis and their infants. This study was designed to assess maternal and fetal pregnancy outcomes in women with rheumatic mitral valve stenosis and compare them with the control group.

Materials And Methods: This study is a case-control study on 153 pregnant women, including 51 with mitral stenosis (MS) and 102 without MS as the control group, between 2007-2022.

Cumulative sucrose exposure for repeated procedural pain in preterm neonates and neurodevelopment at 18 months of corrected age: a prospective observational longitudinal study.

Introduction: Oral sucrose is repeatedly administered to neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to treat pain from commonly performed procedures; however, there is limited evidence on its long-term cumulative effect on neurodevelopment. We examined the association between total sucrose volumes administered to preterm neonates for pain mitigation in the NICU and their neurodevelopment at 18 months of corrected age (CA).

Methods: A prospective longitudinal single-arm observational study that enrolled hospitalised preterm neonates <32 weeks of gestational age at birth and <10 days of life was conducted in four level III NICUs in Canada.

Arrhythmia monitoring and outcome after myocardial infarction (BIO|GUARD-MI): a randomized trial.

Objectives: Cardiac arrhythmias predict poor outcome after myocardial infarction (MI). We studied if arrhythmia monitoring with an insertable cardiac monitor (ICM) can improve treatment and outcome.

Design: BIO|GUARD-MI was a randomized, international open-label study with blinded outcome assessment.

The effects of opium consumption on severity of disease on hospitalized COVID-19 patients in East of Iran, a prospective cohort study.

There are few theories and little empirical evidence about the bilateral impact of substance use and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), so a logical and accurate picture of this area is required. We investigated the effects of opium use on severity of disease on hospitalized COVID-19 patients in east of Iran. Demographic and clinical characteristics, vital signs, laboratory tests, mortality rate, type and duration of opium consumption in hospitalized patients who recovered from COVID-19 in the follow-up after 3 months were evaluated.

Oral anticoagulation therapy initiation in patients with atrial fibrillation in relation to world region of origin: a register-based nationwide study.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia and results in a high risk of stroke. The number of immigrants is increasing globally, but little is known about potential differences in AF care across migrant populations.

Aim: To investigate if initiation of oral anticoagulation therapy (OAC) differs for patients with incident AF in relation to country of origin.

A longitudinal observational study on the epidemiology of painful procedures and sucrose administration in hospitalized preterm neonates.

Although sucrose is widely administered to hospitalized infants for single painful procedures, total sucrose volume during the entire neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stay and associated adverse events are unknown. In a longitudinal observation study, we aimed to quantify and contextualize sucrose administration during the NICU stay. Specifically, we investigated the frequency, nature, and severity of painful procedures; proportion of procedures where neonates received sucrose; total volume of sucrose administered for painful procedures; and incidence and type of adverse events.